EATON — A benefit concert to raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis was held Saturday, June 23.
For years, Preble County has had their own MS Walk, hosted by Tanya Oglesby. This year, based on feedback from previous years, the fundraiser became the MS Music Festival, held at the Preble County Fairgrounds Bruner Arena.
Like the MS Walk in previous years, money raised benefits National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Ohio Valley Chapter: Preble County. The festival featured Kelly Crank, Rum River Blend, and Ashley Taylor. It was an all-ages event with tickets, including 10 raffle tickets, for a $10 donation.
“For the last three years we have had a walk with music. We had a woman last year who said she couldn’t walk, but would rather just come to the concerts, so we decided to have this music festival,” Oglesby explained.
”The donations help the people who have MS in Preble County. The funds from this event will help with medicine for people who have MS, and the medicine will be shipped directly to them.
“I have MS and it is the hardest thing to detect, just because, if you look at me, I don’t look sick. It is the hardest thing to recognize. I would like to thank all our sponsors and everyone who donated for the raffle.”
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). According to the Mayo Clinic, in MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body. Eventually, the disease can cause the nerves themselves to deteriorate or become permanently damaged.
Signs and symptoms of MS vary widely and depend on the amount of nerve damage and which nerves are affected. Some people with severe MS may lose the ability to walk independently or at all, while others may experience long periods of remission without any new symptoms. Many people who have MS do not appear sick at all, but over their lives will have multiple relapses and try different treatments.
Not only is it a debilitating disease that affects the mind and body, but it is also hard to diagnose. No single test can be used to diagnose MS, but medical history and different tests must be used together to rule out other conditions. All other possible diagnoses must first be ruled out before a person is treated for MS.
There is also no cure for Multiple Sclerosis at this time, but that does not stop people from rallying together to support and find a cure. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society hosts many fundraisers at a national level to find a cure and improve treatment for those living with MS.
